We are introduced, at an early age, to the sweet wondernous of a cookie. From teething cookies to soothe the swollen aching gums of incoming incisors, onto animal crackers purchased in rectangular-shaped boxes bearing a string handle for easy toting by little fingers. Deciding which part of the animal should be eaten first-the trunk of the elephant or the tail of a lion-depended on how hungry one was. Savor each and every one or simply gobble them down as fast as possible.

My next cookie memory would be the ever famous, possibly all-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. There is nothing better than to bite into a round circle of baked dough sprinkled with gooey melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie can dry tears, heal broken hearts, mend scraped knees and elbows and solve sibling arguments. Most of the problems in the world could likely be solved by a properly baked, right out of the oven, chocolate chip cookie. The power of a cookie is underestimated.

I will attempt in the next 365 days to prepare and comment on a year’s worth of different cookies-one for each day. My goal is to share with others my extreme love of cookies-baking them and especially eating them! Feel free to send me your favorite recipe, your earliest cookie memories, or how cookies may have influenced your life. Cookies Rule!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Cookie Recipe #247 - Puddin' Head Gingerbread Men

Christmas is still 3 1/2 months away but these gingerbread men (and women) made an appearance in September to give us a taste of what is to come. They are made with a pudding mix (thus the name puddin' head)plus lots of spices and topped with a tart lemon frosting. You could make a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze if you don't care for lemon.

Instructions: Cream butter, brown sugar, and pudding mix in large mixing bowl; add egg and beat well. Stir together flour, soda, and spices. Stir into creamed mixture; chill for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness and cut with a 4-inch gingerbread man cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes until set.

Allow to cool on baking sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice in small bowl until of spreading consistency; add a little water or milk, if needed. Pipe icing on cookies in desired design or just spread with a spatula. Add non-parils or mini chocolate chips for facial features and buttons, if desired.

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A Year of Cookies Fulfilled

This stack has been my reading material for the past year. After tons of flour and sugar have passed through my kitchen, along with a whole henhouse-worth of eggs, spices galore, and enough chocolate to build a house (imagine that!), I have learned alot and feel confident I could master any kind of cookie. Most days were fun, even when I didn't read the recipe correctly and fumbled (what a difference ONE sentence makes). I hope everyone has enjoyed this journey with me and will continue to travel throughout the next year with my new adventure - ayearofcakes.blogspot.com. Thanks for all your comments, encouragment and support. "Let's Bake a Cake!"

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS...

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the kitchen
Not an appliance was running, not even a smidgen.
The oven mitts were hung by the stove with care
In hopes for a vacation from the wear and tear.
The measuring cups were nestled all snug in the drawer
Along with the spoons, the spatulas, and more.
The mixer in its caddy; the food processor stored,
The wall outlet was bare of electrical cord.
When out of nowhere there arose such a clatter
The cookie sheets rattled alongside the platter.
Away to the cabinet I flew in a flash
Tore open the door, heard a loud crash.
Then, what to my questioning eyes should appear
But a gingerbread man dressed in Santa gear.
His ride was a little gingerbread sled
Loaded with gumdrops of green and of red.
Eight cookie cutter reindeer pulled with all their might
Over each and every counter-oh, what a sight!
Now Cinnamon! now Nutmeg! now Cardamom and Cocoa!
On Ginger! on Sugar! on Vanilla and Mocha!
To the top of the canisters, to the pans hung on the wall
Now dash away! dash away! dash of salt on all!
So, as I headed back to bed, I turned off the light,
And I heard him exclaim, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Merry Christmas to all my fellow cookie bakers!!!

Christmas Cookie Rules

This was sent to me by my friend, Gail. How appropriate and how true. Christmas Cookie Rules... 1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and thus calorie free.2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.3. If a friend comes over while you're making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your friend's first cookie is calories free, (rule #1) yours is also. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone and, being the friend that you are, that makes your cookie calorie free.4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue. 6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones have three and green ones have five - one calorie for each letter. Make more red ones!7. Cookies eaten while watching "Miracle on 34th Street" have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.

8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking

Causes calorie leakage.

9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate have no calories since the calories

Rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate.

We all know how calories like to CLING!10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories. It's a rule!

So, go out and enjoy those Christmas Cookies - we only get them this time of year!

Snowmen Have Arrived!

It's that time of year again for the multitudes of snowmen to come out of their newspaper-wrapped boxes where they hibernate from January to December 1st. I cherish my snowmen because of their uniqueness; no two are exactly the same. Because snowmen aren't specifically Christmas, they can be displayed until February or March (June is just plain being lazy:)) Today also begins a month's worth of Christmas cookie recipes beginning with Church Windows. There aren't enough days to present all the recipes I have in this category, but I hope you will enjoy my favorites! Christmas Cookies Rule!!!

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Give Thanks...for cookies

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Are You Ready to Bake Cookies?

Vacation in Bodega (Sonoma Coast Villa & Spa)

More Grandkids

Grandkids and Mom and Dad after having yummy ice cream at Moomers in Traverse City

Grandkids

Grandkids are so grand! These little people are so full of smiles and are so fun to hug and kiss, if you can catch them...

Spring?

Woke up at my parent's house this morning, looked out the bedroom window and found this.......

Cookie Apprentices

These two are my nephew, Cody, and my niece, Hailey, helping Mom (Angie) bake one of the cookie recipes on this blog (Lemon Snowdrops). She replaced the Lemon Butter Filling with Lemon Curd and said they tasted alot like Lemon Squares.

Cookie Critic

My son, Joe, working on his English homework which consists of describing his favorite meal-Thanksgiving. As he read back to me what he had written so far, I could almost smell the turkey baking. He's also one of my cookie critics, being careful to not be too negative if they're not his favorite, because, after all, he still eats here and upsetting the cook is not a good idea!
Joe says when he gets rich and famous (rich, anyway) he'll buy me a store where I can bake and sell my cookies (my dream). We'll see..............

Wayne and Paul in Tahoe

Some of my cookies got to go skiing and snowmobiling this past weekend (before being eaten). My husband and his friend, Paul were in Tahoe along with the cookies and shared them at the top of the hill while waiting to ski down. Lots of snow and lots of cookies-what a combination!
The cookies left at home were pouting :(

Future bakers

Cookie Princesses

My granddaughters, Piper, Riley and Aubrey in their aprons I made them for Christmas.

Trip to Carmel

We're back from our trip to Carmel and how nice it was. The weather was great both days, 60's, the food was delicious; lunch in Carmel, dinner at Red House Cafe in Pacific Grove, and breakfast on the patio again in Carmel. We wandered the little shops of both places; tried a double chocolate truffle at a sweet shop, then a chocolate-dipped shortbread cookie at a bakery the next day. The outdoor hot tub at the hotel relaxed our tired bodies and warmed us from the nighttime cool air.

We didn't see any celebrities, but you couldn't get anywhere near the tournament without buying a ticket and being shuttled in, but it was advertised everywhere. What a relaxing couple of days, not back to baking...

buying a cookie in Carmel

Carmel Trip

Super Plate of Sweetness

We went to a Super Bowl Party at Michael's Restaurant in Mountain View today. What a blast! The Saints winning was the best, plus good food and sharing my cookies! Thanks, Lenny, for inviting us and showing us a good time!

Platter of Pleasure

Testimonial

daneault23 said...

"I have been eating these cookies for more than 20 years and I can say that these cookies are the best I've ever had! I'm not just saying that because she's the one that brought me into this world, I really mean these cookies are good. Even when I go to a party, they always ask if I'm bringing my mom's cookies and are always greatly disappointed when I don't.

So even if you never get to taste any of her cookies, I suggest you follow her instructions of her recipes because she knows what she's doing and it seems like she never has a bad batch.

I hope you enjoy her blog and maybe bake up some cookies that equally delicious as my mom's."

*A paid actor was not hired to make these comments; he's just an ordinary joe! (may have been bribed with cookies!)

Another Testimonial

mjwin45 said...

If I had to choose...The chocolate chip cookies are my favorite, with the peanut butter being a VERY close second, but let's just face it, anything Kathy bakes is a hit!! Everyone looks forward to dessert when Kathy bakes. All my parties are better due to her superior baking talents! The Winans family is looking forward to sampling lots of cookies in 2010!!